Review: High Tyde, Thekla

Never before have I wished for Thekla to be warmer, usually sweat is dripping from the ceiling but with ‘the beast from the east’ in town you can practically see your own breath. Fortunately rising alternative rock group Bad Nerves waste no time in getting the crowd warmed up. With three of the four members wearing practically identical leather jackets it’s obvious there’s an image they’re trying to project, and it’s angsty.

Frontman Bobby’s performance borders on furious, amplified by technical difficulties that leave him slamming the mic stand against the stage. Despite this, each song is a sub three minute, break-neck slice of frantic lo-fi punk wrapped in so much attitude that it had the crowd breaking off into pits before the first chord rang out. Highlight single Radio Punk perhaps showed them at their best, an urgent, agitated runaway that threatens the eardrums and leaves you eager for more.

Last time I saw High Tyde was back in 2013 when they headlined a minuscule festival in the South. Back then the crowd was distinctively middle aged and despite the bands best efforts they only managed to produce a light shoulder shuffle from the majority of them. Fortunately a lot has changed since. The band have completed a headline tour, played festivals at home and abroad and, perhaps mercifully, their audience has changed as well.

Now populated by late teens with heaps more energy, each show is a sweat fest, with a crowd that throw themselves off the ground at each beat. There is barely anybody in the audience with a drink in hand, which is either an indication that High Tyde pull an audience of the broke, or those still waiting for the correct numbers on their license to drink. But despite a lack of alcohol coursing through the crowd it is suitably without inhibition.

Walking out to the sound of sirens the band are met with more than one adoring shriek that would typically be reserved for much larger stars. Without missing a beat they launch into a set filled primarily with tracks from the memorably titled mixtape / album 8978-202545. Catchy labels aren’t always necessary though, with an armoury of infectious tunes and army of fans chanting along, every song becomes an anthem that drums up an already rowdy crowd.

Do What You Want is colourful and effervescent; Glow provides an excuse for the crowd to jump onto shoulders to the bemusement of security and their green lasers and Young Offenders offers a scrappy voice for a generation. The band round out the set with their heaviest and most popular track, Dark Love, a rocky cut of soaring guitar and raging drums that bring all the stragglers who have wandered around the boat to come charging back for one last push.

It’s clear High Tyde are still a band in their youth and their set barely scraped towards the fifty minute mark, which could have been a blessing in disguise for a crowd who had barely touched the floor all night.